Sheila’s logic and changing ‘Haath’ scheme

Sheila has recently made a statement that at best can compete fiercely with Montek’s for the coveted and utmost ‘ludicrous’ status. According to Sheila, a family of five in India (of course, not anywhere else!) can quite easily sustain itself on a monthly income of Rs 600. So doing the math, every member who is fortunate enough (thanks wholly to the magnanimity of the Government) to have Rs 4 come his way daily must look up to the heavens and prostrate before the Gods and thank him for the divine grace that this Government showers upon him. Lets see what you can buy in India for Rs 4 today? Maybe a small piece of bun from the local tea stall, and this one small piece would meet his daily nutritional and dietary requirements quite sumptuously. He would need to nibble 25% of the bun every 6 hours and get through the day. Dare he ask for more? They fattened up a terrorist with biriyani whenever he sought it, daring of the commoner to ask for anything more! He is lucky for what comes his way, in the form of a little piece of bread. What bewilders me completely is how Sheila could have come up with a ‘gourmet’ delight of ‘dal, roti and chawal’ all up for Rs 4 a day. Incredible. Instead of ensuring that the poor get fed, instead of ensuring the smooth functioning of the Public Distribution System, the Government has decided to place Rs 4 every day in the poor man’s hand and make it entirely his responsibility to feed himself and if he is not carrying the Aadhar card, he can starve to death. Bravo!

This is yet another example of how the present Government is completely out of touch of reality and the needs of the people. More than being out of touch, quite simply, it is the arrogance of the rich towards the poor at its best display here. I am sure Sheila spends more than Rs 600 every alternate day in ‘an attempt’ to get her hair dyed and the Planning commission spends more than Rs 32 every ten minutes on toilet paper rolls in its two recently renovated toilets that cost the exchequer Rs 35 lakhs. Of course due credit must be given to the Planning Commission for being a lot more careful about spending our money more wisely, unlike Kalmadi who greatly profited from toilet paper by acquiring one roll at Rs 3,750 when he was at the pinnacle of his career. Oh, what expensive posteriors these men have. But, who questions all this or would dare to?

The UPA Government is banking quite entirely on the cash transfer scheme to get them votes in 2014. Young Rahul, altruistically inclined as always exclaimed so gracefully“ Aapka Paisa Apke Haath” (I wept inconsolably at his magnanimity). “Your money in your hands” has now been earmarked as the party slogan, to push the Congress campaign full throttle. All this while it was “ Aapka Paisa, Mere Haath”, this sudden cosmetic change is rather eerie, maybe the world is indeed ending quite soon as the Mayans predicted. How about introducing another form of cash transfer? How about placing some of the black money stashed away abroad also in our “Haath” or some of that 90 lakh crores (approx) scam money that has vanished into thin air also in our “ Haath”? Whilst the UPA is gloating over the generous Rs 600 cash transfer scheme, it comes as no surprise that over Rs 600 crores worth of estate and properties in a public trust were quietly acquired by a private Company managed by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Moti Lal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Satyan G Pitroda. This is one amongst probably countless examples of other schemes where money changes “Haath” and little or no fuss is made over it.

What is certain however is that so long as India is blanketed by corruption, nepotism and lack of accountability, a majority of this country will always remain under “ Haath” to “ Mouth” situation. No cash transfer scheme will pull it out of its current miserable plight.

Abdul Kalam rightly said “ If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher”. Obviously most of our leaders have not had these three key societal members imparting knowledge and helping them acquire beautiful minds. I hope we do not commit the same mistake with our children. I remain in hope for a better India.

Author

Sharmila Ravinder is a qualified Accountant with a Finance background and has spent a good part of her life studying and working in India and Australia. She observes the dynamics of this versatile world and its effect on our day-to-day lives. She writes about the changing social, political and cultural climate in India and abroad. She immensely enjoys engaging in debates that encourage multiple narratives. A passionate animal lover, an avid traveller and a movie buff, she gleefully pens her thoughts in prose and sometimes in poetry too. A cat lover and always on the prowl, she has a keen eye for ordinary and extraordinary issues. She also blogs on www.sharmilasays.wordpress.com
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Sharmila Ravinder is a qualified Accountant with a Finance background and has spent a good part of her life studying and working in India and Australia. She. . .